Display rack with skull mold centerpiece

ABSTRACT

The present invention includes a rack with a centerpiece configured to hold and display tokens and headgear. In one exemplary embodiment, this invention comprises a display rack with a plurality of grooves and a skull molded centerpiece. The grooves may span the majority of the width of the top surface of the base or may be shorter. Multiple grooves may be aligned to form a single row across the top surface of the base. According to an exemplary embodiment, a front of the base may be at a shorter height than a rear of the base such as to allow a sloped surface that more prominently displays contents of the rack. Furthermore, the rack may include two or more feet that elevate the rack.

COPENDING APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 61/283,814 filed Dec. 9, 2009, titled “CHUCKLE HEAD” having the same sole inventor as the instant application, which provisional application is incorporated herein by reference as if set forth in full below.

NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document and its figures contain material subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.

BACKGROUND

The current invention relates to display devices particularly suited for showcasing medals, medallions, coins, and headwear. While display devices for exhibiting objects such as medals and headwear are available, many such devices preclude displaying both simultaneously in a user-configured distribution.

Over the course of a career of service, military personnel may accumulate a significant collection of badges, medals, hats or berets, and other service-related items. Active military personnel, veterans and many others may collect other similar memorabilia, coins, medallions, badges, and headwear. Many collectors desire to display such items in a single, flexible-use, themed display. Existing displays fail to fully meet this need.

SUMMARY

The aforementioned problems, and other problems, are reduced, according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention as described herein below. In one exemplary embodiment, this invention comprises a display rack with a plurality of grooves and a skull mold centerpiece. The grooves may span the majority of the width of the top surface of the base or may be shorter. Multiple grooves may be aligned to form a single row across the top surface of the base.

In another embodiment, the display device comprises a plurality of grooves spanning the majority of the width of the top surface of the display device and a skull mold centerpiece.

Veterans, collectors, law enforcement personnel, and others often accumulate collections of small commemorative objects such as coins, badges, or medals. As used herein, “token” means any such commemorative objects or any similarly sized object. The configuration of the grooves allows the user to redistribute the displayed tokens. This feature is particularly useful to accommodate a growing collection, as the user can choose to redistribute the tokens within a grove to make room for another token.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The exemplary embodiments, objects, uses, advantages, and novel features are more clearly understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying figures wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of the display rack with molded skull centerpiece in accordance with some of the exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of the display rack with molded skull centerpiece with tokens and a beret in place for display in accordance with some of the exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the Display Rack with Molded Skull Centerpiece having a sloped base in accordance with some of the exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of the display rack with molded skull centerpiece showing one possible groove pattern in accordance with some of the exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of the display rack with molded skull centerpiece showing an alternate groove pattern in accordance with some of the exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of the display rack with molded skull centerpiece showing legs attached to the bottom of the base in accordance with some of the exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of the display rack with molded skull centerpiece with legs of mixed heights attached to the bottom of the base in accordance with some of the exemplary embodiments.

DESCRIPTION

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any configuration or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other configurations or designs. Furthermore, use of the words “present invention” is used herein to convey only some of the embodiments of the invention. For example, the word “present invention” would also include alternative embodiments and equivalent systems and components that one of ordinary skill in the art understands. An example is that the materials used for the exemplary embodiments may be made out of man-made materials, natural materials, and combinations thereof. A further example is that the apparatus or components of the apparatus may be manufactured by machine(s), human(s) and combinations thereof.

Some of the embodiments of the invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. These embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those of ordinary skill in the art. Moreover, all statements herein reciting embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass both structural and functional equivalents thereof. Additionally, it is intended that such equivalents include both currently known equivalents as well as equivalents developed in the future (i.e., any elements developed that perform the same function, regardless of structure).

FIG. 1 shows a front elevated view of an exemplary embodiment of display rack 101. Display rack 101 includes base 103, grooves 105, centerpiece 107, and inscribable plate 109. The base 103 has a top surface 111 and a front surface 113. In this exemplary embodiment, the inscribable plate 109 is attached to the top surface 111 of the base 103. The grooves 105 may extend for all or part of the width of the top surface 111.

The grooves 105 may be of varying lengths relative to one another. The centerpiece 107 is located substantially centered on the base 103 and is attached to the top surface 111. The grooves 105 have a length, width, and depth. The length of the grooves 105 is the longest dimension. The width of the grooves 105 determines the maximum token thickness the groove can accommodate. The depth of the grooves 105 determines how deeply into which the groove an object may be inserted. As one of ordinary skill appreciates, the depth of the groove may vary.

The centerpiece 107 is configured to resemble a human skull, but may also be configured to resemble similarly sized spheroid objects sized to accommodate common headgear. For example, advances in rapid prototyping or 3D imaging may provide for an actual replica of the head of the intended user. Furthermore, as used herein, the term “headgear” includes hats, berets, headbands, or other similar pieces of apparel designed to be worn on or about a head.

FIG. 2 shows a front elevated view of an exemplary embodiment of display rack 201. Display rack 201 includes base 203, grooves 205, centerpiece 207, inscribable plate 209, tokens 215, and headpiece 217. The base 203 has a top surface 211 and a front surface 213. The grooves 205 are configured to hold the bottom edge of tokens 215. The tokens 215, when held by grooves 205, may be perpendicular to top surface 211 or may be angled relative to the top surface 211, depending upon the width of the grooves 205 relative to the thickness of the token 215 and the manner in which token 215 is positioned within the groove 205. Headpiece 217 may rest on top of centerpiece 207, which is sized to accommodate common headpieces.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a display rack 301. Display rack 301 includes base 303, grooves 305, centerpiece 307, and inscribable plate 309. The base 303 has a top surface 311 and a front surface 313. Grooves 305 are shown in dashed lines to indicate that they do not run to the edge of the top surface 311 in this embodiment. The base 303 has a rear portion 315, which is elevated relative to front portion 313, thereby causing a slope in top surface 311. A sloped top surface 311 can be advantageous when displaying a large number of tokens (not shown). By raising a rearward token slightly above a frontward token, the rearward token is less obscured by the frontward token.

FIG. 4 shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a display rack 401. Display rack 401 includes base 403, grooves 405, centerpiece 407, and inscribable plate 409. FIG. 4 further illustrates a possible configuration of grooves 405 relative to centerpiece 407.

FIG. 5 shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a display rack 501. Display rack 501 includes base 503, grooves 505, centerpiece 507, and inscribable plate 509. The base 503 has a top surface 511. FIG. 5 further illustrates a possible configuration of grooves 505 relative to centerpiece 507. The grooves 505 may comprise single, unbroken grooves spanning some, most, or all of the width of top surface 511. For example, grooves 505 may have a length which spans the majority of the width of top surface 511 such as depicted by groove 505A. Alternatively, the grooves 505 may be broken by the area occupied by the centerpiece 507 and have a length which spans less than the majority of the width of top surface 511, as depicted by groove 505B.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a display rack 601. Display rack 601 includes base 603, grooves 605, centerpiece 607, and inscribable plate 609. The base 603 has a top surface 611, front surface 613, rear surface 615, and bottom surface 617. Attached to the bottom surface 617 are support feet 619. Support feet 619 may be of equal or unequal length relative to one another, but are shown as equal length in this embodiment. Two or more support feet 619 may be positioned on bottom surface 617. Pairs of support feet 619 may be located toward the front surface 613 or toward the rear surface 615. There may be one or more pairs of support feet 619 on bottom surface 617. Independent of whether support feet 619 are of uniform length, top surface 611 may be sloped if the vertical measurement of rear surface 615 exceeds that of front surface 613. Thus, base 603 is not necessarily of uniform thickness.

In this exemplary embodiment, the centerpiece 607 is attached to the top surface 611 by way of pedestal 621. The pedestal 621 and centerpiece 607 may be of one-piece construction or may be an assembly. The pedestal 621 is attached to the top surface 611. The centerpiece 607 is attached to pedestal 621, either by way of being of one-piece construction or by being affixed thereto.

The inscribable plate 609 is attached to front surface 613. In this exemplary embodiment, front surface 613 is angled to improve the visibility and readability of the inscribable plate 609 when display rack 601 is below eye-level.

FIG. 7 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a display rack 701. Display rack 701 includes base 703, grooves 705, centerpiece 707, and inscribable plate 709. The base 703 has a top surface 711 and bottom surface 713. Attached to the bottom surface 713 are support feet 715. Support feet 715 may be of equal or unequal length relative to one another, but are shown in this embodiment as unequal lengths. Only one of each pair of support feet 715 is shown. The rearward pair of support feet 715 is longer than the frontward pair, causing the top surface 711 of base 703 to be sloped.

While the present invention has been described with respect to various features, aspects, and embodiments, those skilled and unskilled in the art will recognize the invention is not so limited. Other variations, modifications, and alternative embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 

1. A display rack comprising: a base having a top surface, a front surface, and a bottom surface. a plurality of grooves in the top surface; an inscribable plate attached to the base; a centerpiece attached to the top surface.
 2. The display rack of claim 1, in which the grooves are arranged in a plurality of rows, each row comprising one or more groove segments.
 3. The display rack of claim 1, wherein the centerpiece resembles a human skull.
 3. The display rack of claim 1, wherein the centerpiece is sized to accommodate apparel designed to be worn on a human head.
 4. The display rack of claim 1, wherein the inscribable plate is attached to the top surface of the base.
 5. The display rack of claim 1, wherein the inscribable plate is attached to the front surface of the base.
 6. The display rack of claim 1, wherein the inscribable plate is made of brass.
 7. The display rack of claim 1, further comprising two or more support feet attached to the bottom surface of the base.
 8. The display rack of claim 7, wherein all of the feet are of equal length.
 9. The display rack of claim 7, wherein some of the feet are longer than others.
 10. The display rack of claim 1, wherein the base is of unequal thickness, such that the top surface of the base is not parallel with the bottom surface. 